I had a root canal 4 days ago and I am still in intense pain... Far worse than before I had the procedure done.
Is this normal???
The dentist said it went well and I would not even need antibiotics and gave me Tylenol 3 for the pain. I have only been able to take regular tylenol tough, because the prescription ones knock me out and I can't miss any work.
Is there somethingwrong, or am I just feeling the FULL normal effects??

Jpark, I'm not sure why you think that only endodontists perform root canals because general dentists do them all the time. Speaking from experience my regular dentist has performed 3 very successful root canals on different teeth in my mouth and he isn't an endodontist - just a normal dentist. Patients are usually referred to an endodontist if it looks like there could be complications, for example blockages in the canals or canals that are curved and difficult to reach.

Kelly_bean I think you possibly need to give it more time to settle. Every procedure that is performed on a tooth is like a "trauma" to it, whether it be just a simple filling or a root canal. Two of my root canals never gave me a day's problem after they were completed, yet one of my root canals took 3 weeks before it started to feel better. Sometimes there's just no rhyme or reason why some teeth are perfectly fine straight after the procedure and yet another tooth can start to "talk back" because it's been touched. I know tooth pain is horrible but you may need to give it a little more time. Good luck with it.

Jpark, I'm not sure why you think that only endodontists perform root canals because general dentists do them all the time. Speaking from experience my regular dentist has performed 3 very successful root canals on different teeth in my mouth and he isn't an endodontist - just a normal dentist. Patients are usually referred to an endodontist if it looks like there could be complications, for example blockages in the canals or canals that are curved and difficult to reach.

Kelly_bean I think you possibly need to give it more time to settle. Every procedure that is performed on a tooth is like a "trauma" to it, whether it be just a simple filling or a root canal. Two of my root canals never gave me a day's problem after they were completed, yet one of my root canals took 3 weeks before it started to feel better. Sometimes there's just no rhyme or reason why some teeth are perfectly fine straight after the procedure and yet another tooth can start to "talk back" because it's been touched. I know tooth pain is horrible but you may need to give it a little more time. Good luck with it.

jpark I have to agree with you...It is well worth it to get the endodontist to do the work and doing so may save pain and money in the long run...see my post below:
This is about a top rear molar (second from the rear of the mouth) perforated root.
The Dentist who performed the initial root canal told me the cause of my post procedural headaches and pain was my grinding my teeth when I slept. After more than three years, I went to an Endodontist. He x-rayed the tooth. He didn't say anything about a little glob of filling material protruding from the tip of one of the roots, but he did recommend doing another root canal. He put me on Amoxicillin 500 mg three times a day for 7 days prior to the second operation and then added another seven days of the same dosage of Amoxicillin after. After the second procedure, he did another x-ray, and I noticed that there was a larger glob of filling material protruding from the tip of the root. The Endodontist didn't make any comment about it. He said the Dentist had missed a hairline root during the first procedure, and if the infection didn't clear up, dental surgery would be necessary. I am 62 years old and can handle the complete truth. I was so trusting, I didn't even question either one about the excess filling material at the tip of the root. A friend who had been a dental assistant ,when hearing my story of pain after both procedures, made the comment that it sounded like the first Dentist had perforated the root tip It was then, that I remembered the globs of filling material in both the before and after x-rays.
Doctors and Dentists may want to be aware that full disclosure should be considered, especially now that patients can do a Google search.
As stated elsewhere: It would be a good idea for a patient to question everything and do his or her own research.

jpark I have to agree with you...It is well worth it to get the endodontist to do the work and doing so may save pain and money in the long run...see my post below:
This is about a top rear molar (second from the rear of the mouth) perforated root.
The Dentist who performed the initial root canal told me the cause of my post procedural headaches and pain was my grinding my teeth when I slept. After more than three years, I went to an Endodontist. He x-rayed the tooth. He didn't say anything about a little glob of filling material protruding from the tip of one of the roots, but he did recommend doing another root canal. He put me on Amoxicillin 500 mg three times a day for 7 days prior to the second operation and then added another seven days of the same dosage of Amoxicillin after. After the second procedure, he did another x-ray, and I noticed that there was a larger glob of filling material protruding from the tip of the root. The Endodontist didn't make any comment about it. He said the Dentist had missed a hairline root during the first procedure, and if the infection didn't clear up, dental surgery would be necessary. I am 62 years old and can handle the complete truth. I was so trusting, I didn't even question either one about the excess filling material at the tip of the root. A friend who had been a dental assistant ,when hearing my story of pain after both procedures, made the comment that it sounded like the first Dentist had perforated the root tip It was then, that I remembered the globs of filling material in both the before and after x-rays.
Doctors and Dentists may want to be aware that full disclosure should be considered, especially now that patients can do a Google search.
As stated elsewhere: It would be a good idea for a patient to question everything and do his or her own research.

Sometimes a simple root canal can be done by a regular dentist. But, very often general dentists will refer you out to an endodontist if it looks complicated. For instance, where I work, my general dentist started my root canal, but for some reason he realized that he could not get into one of the canals. He put a temporary crown on it immediately and sent me to our endodontist. He checked me out and found that my molar only had 1 canal which is extremely rare and why my general dentist could not find the other canal. Endodontists are more experienced. I agree though that simple root canals can be done by good general dentists. But, be careful, very often a general dentist thinks they can do everything, but often should have referred someone out to a specialist.

I'm sorry you had this experience. The other thing I always tell people is to make sure they have treated you with antibiotics first to bring the infection down. When there is infection it is difficult to get the area worked on numb. Most dentists will wait for the infection to clear before trying to do any major work!

Sometimes a simple root canal can be done by a regular dentist. But, very often general dentists will refer you out to an endodontist if it looks complicated. For instance, where I work, my general dentist started my root canal, but for some reason he realized that he could not get into one of the canals. He put a temporary crown on it immediately and sent me to our endodontist. He checked me out and found that my molar only had 1 canal which is extremely rare and why my general dentist could not find the other canal. Endodontists are more experienced. I agree though that simple root canals can be done by good general dentists. But, be careful, very often a general dentist thinks they can do everything, but often should have referred someone out to a specialist.

I'm sorry you had this experience. The other thing I always tell people is to make sure they have treated you with antibiotics first to bring the infection down. When there is infection it is difficult to get the area worked on numb. Most dentists will wait for the infection to clear before trying to do any major work!

i am an endodontist and what i can tell you is that the "glob" at the end of your root is called a 'puff'. they are actually something we look to get. a perforation is seen on the side of a root. with all respect to your dental assistant friend, she is wrong.

i am an endodontist and what i can tell you is that the "glob" at the end of your root is called a 'puff'. they are actually something we look to get. a perforation is seen on the side of a root. with all respect to your dental assistant friend, she is wrong.

I had a root canal 4 days ago and I am still in intense pain... Far worse than before I had the procedure done.
Is this normal???
The dentist said it went well and I would not even need antibiotics and gave me Tylenol 3 for the pain. I have only been able to take regular tylenol tough, because the prescription ones knock me out and I can't miss any work.
Is there somethingwrong, or am I just feeling the FULL normal effects??

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